'EFCC out to embarrass me,' lawyer says

According to Punch, Tarfa said this in an affidavit filed in support of his preliminary objection to the charges, seeking a Lagos State High Court in Igbosere to quash the charges.

On February 16, 2016, the EFCC arraigned Tarfa on two counts before Justice Aishat Opesanwo accusing him of willfully obstructing two of its operatives, Moses Awolusi and Sanusi Mohammed, from arresting two citizens of Benin - Gnanhoue Sorou and Nazaire Modeste.

READ: EFCC accuses Tarfa of lying about his age

The anti-graft agency claims the Beninoise are suspected criminals.

The EFCC accused the senior lawyer of hiding the suspects in his vehicle for about five hours on February 5, 2016 to prevent them from being arrested, claiming he contravened Section 38(2) (a) of the EFCC (Establishment) Act, 2004.

The agency also alleged that Tarfa bribed Justice Mohammed Yunusa of a Federal High Court before whom he had two pending cases.

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Tarfa pleaded not guilty to the two charges and was granted bail on self-recognition.

In his preliminary objection to the charges, he contended that the EFCC failed to state the particular place and time when he committed the offences, which he was being accused of committing.

However, the lead counsel in Tarfa’s defence team, Emeka Ngige (SAN), at the resumed proceedings on Monday, March 14, said the EFCC has filed a counter-affidavit, which he is yet to respond to because he was only served last Friday at about 2.55pm.

Justice Opesanwo adjourned the case till March 21 to hear all pending applications.